Tuesday 13th Nov 2012
Went for a
Job Seekers interview today – the staff were friendly but guarded; but what a
convoluted performance just to get money you are supposedly entitled to. I had
to take my passport in to support the claim –probably because they have never
seen a UK one before. It does make me confused that I have worked for 36 years
and all through the period paid tax (and all the other payments) and now when
you just want back what you’re entitled to they expect you to jump through
hoops...aargh!! One has to comply with the tenets of the Job seekers agreement
which basically says:-
I am prepared to do as I am told and let go
of all pride and self respect values I might once have held. If you fail any of
the tenets apparently they can withdraw the money which in my case only lasts
for 6 months anyway. (In total it amounts to £1846.) If after that when the six
months have elapsed and you have the smallest modicum of savings then you get nothing.
So ill thought out, poorly executed and useless to me in the long run- yep,
sounds like a government policy to me.
Oh well see how the next 2 weeks go
Tuesday 27th Nov 2012
Returned to the
Job centre to have my two week interview but I knew before I went that the Job
seekers allowance thing wasn’t going to work out. So I have now been signed off
any benefits I was receiving. Bit annoyed really as before I was made redundant
the advisors at work basically said there was none of this hassle for the first six months. But
I have thought about it quite a lot and at this point in time I am not prepared to –
§ Travel for up
to one and a half hours in each direction to a job
§
Work for the minimum wage (currently £6.08 per hour§ Learn to drive a fork lift truck or some other totally unsuitable task.
§ Be prepared to work at any time of the week such as nights and weekends
§ Search for a job for a minimum of 3 hours each day
§ Apply for the jobs given to me at the Job Centre
§ Sign up with a minimum of 2 job agencies
§ Be talked to like an imbecile by a slave labour gangmaster; sorry, jobs adviser
Anyway
the funniest thing was after I had laid out what I wasn’t going to do the lady
said, “Most people don’t do that anyway.”I think she was giving me the option
to carry on, (but I think that is termed fraud.) I wasn’t happy with
being so disingenuous. Anyway in time to come I may need the help for real when
one day I could have sunk low enough in self esteem and cold, hard cash to finally
meet all the criteria for the Cheap labour Charter; sorry, Job Seekers Allowance.
That’s the most worrying prospect for the future. I wish I was more
materialistic then I should have taken the money by any means, fair or foul,
but I’m not really wired that way. Besides that would take up time that could
be better used by the staff to find jobs for people more in need? My heart truly
goes out to all the people who have to do this simulation for real, week in and
week out; at the mercy of ‘Jobs Advisors’ or get nothing. Imagine your life was
hanging in the balance of these people. Perhaps we would have change swiftly if
they applied the criteria of the Job Seekers Charter to their own staff.
So
to sum up - Work for 36 years and pay thousands and thousands in taxation = get
nothing. Must be Britain 2012. Thank my lucky stars I had a nice walk before I went.